Facebook blackmailer jailed for rapes

A paedophile has been jailed for 16 years after admitting rape, despite being thousands of miles away when the offences happened. Paul Leighton, 32, from Seaham, County Durham, created up to 40 fake Facebook profiles to befriend teenagers in the UK, Canada, the US and Australia. Leighton threatened the teenager he would post videos of the abuse online if he did not do more. He said Leighton was "Clearly dangerous" and posed a risk to children in the UK and abroad. Leighton blackmailed two British teenage girls and also sexually abused a nine-year-old girl living in the north-east of England, the court was told. Leighton admitted three counts of rape as well as other offences, including blackmail, causing a child to engage in sexual activity, making indecent photographs of a child and sexual assault.